(
Latin
Latin (, or , ) is a classical language belonging to the Italic branch of the Indo-European languages. Latin was originally a dialect spoken in the lower Tiber area (then known as Latium) around present-day Rome, but through the power of the ...
for “Curious Chemical Library”) is a collection of
alchemical
Alchemy (from Arabic: ''al-kīmiyā''; from Ancient Greek: χυμεία, ''khumeía'') is an ancient branch of natural philosophy, a philosophical and protoscientific tradition that was historically practiced in China, India, the Muslim world, ...
texts first published in Latin, in
Geneva
Geneva ( ; french: Genève ) frp, Genèva ; german: link=no, Genf ; it, Ginevra ; rm, Genevra is the List of cities in Switzerland, second-most populous city in Switzerland (after Zürich) and the most populous city of Romandy, the French-speaki ...
, 1702 by Chouet, edited by
Jean-Jacques Manget
Jean-Jacques Manget (or Johann Jacob Mangetus) (1652–1742) was a Genevan physician and writer. He was known for his work on epidemic diseases such as bubonic plague and tuberculosis. In addition to his own researches, he assiduously compiled pr ...
.
It is a two-volume work, each has more than 900 pages and contains 143 texts in total, which makes it one of the most comprehensive collections of alchemical texts in addition to the ''
Theatrum Chemicum
(''"Chemical Theatre"'') is a compendium of early alchemical writings published in six volumes over the course of six decades. The first three volumes were published in 1602, while the final sixth volume was published in its entirety in 1661. re ...
''.
It is based on reprints of older publications, such as ''Theatrum Chemicum'' and ''
Theatrum Chemicum Britannicum
''Theatrum Chemicum Britannicum'' first published in 1652, is an extensively annotated compilation of English alchemical literature selected by Elias Ashmole. The book preserved and made available many works that had previously existed only in pr ...
''.
The full Latin title, including the editor’s name, on the title page: “”.
Gallery
File:Bibliotheca chemica curiosa RGNb1035413x.01.vol 1.portrait Jean-Jacques Manget.tif, Portrait of Jean-Jaques Manget from ''Bibliotheca Chemica Curiosa''
File:Bibliotheca chemica curiosa RGNb1035413x.02.vol 1.tp.tif, Title page of “tomus primus”
File:Bibliotheca chemica curiosa RGNb1035413x.03.vol 1.fig 1.tif, Plate 1 from volume 1
File:Bibliotheca chemica curiosa RGNb1035413x.04.vol 1.fig 2.tif, Plate 2 from volume 1
File:Bibliotheca chemica curiosa RGNb1035413x.05.vol 1.fig 7.tif, Plate 7 from volume 1
File:Bibliotheca chemica curiosa RGNb1035413x.06.vol 1.fig 15.tif, Plate 15 from vol. 1, ''The End of the Great Work'' shows the spiritualized body rising into the heavens, leaving behind the old body. The ladder of wisdom has been scaled, the angels crown the victorious adept. Above them, the sun illuminates the scene with the radiance of wisdom.
References
{{Alchemy, state=expanded
1702 books
Occult books
Alchemical documents